User-agent: Mediapartners-Google* Disallow: Buses World News

Buses World News

In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry

18.5.15

PREVENTING PEDESTRIAN COLLISIONS AGAINST BUSES * USA

* Oregon - Metro tests ‘turn warning’ buses, explores ways to prevent pedestrian collisions

-- In an effort to improve pedestrian safety and reduce collisions, King County Metro Transit is testing and evaluating an audio and visual turn warning system on 10 buses for the next month in parts of Seattle and south King County... The audio system, called TurnWarning, announces “caution, bus turning” in English and Spanish and includes a left-side strobe light activated when a bus is turning at an intersection. The installed system is triggered when the bus driver turns the steering wheel at least 270 degrees left or 360 degrees right... This system was tested for three days this week on eight buses as they traveled through busy intersections in downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill and Madison Park. Staff recorded initial observations and pedestrian feedback that will be further analyzed as part of the evaluation. Another month of testing remains on a total of 10 buses traveling around the county...
(Photo: A King County Metro bus. Metro operates a fleet of about 1,300 buses) -- King County, ORE, USA - The Enumclauw Courier Herald - May 15, 2015

Labels: bus safety

28.4.15

SAFETY BUSES * Australia: Drivers' fatigue avoidance

* ACT - Seeing Machines hails USA launch of driver fatigue monitor

-- Seeing Machines has launched its fleet in-cab accident avoidance product for trucks and buses into the USA market... Using the company’s cutting edge DSS technology that tracks the eyes and face for signs of fatigue, the unit triggers an alarm and sends seat vibrations at the first sign of a driver losing concentration. The event is also logged centrally... So far the company has sold 4,000 of these systems to mining, road transport and bus customers in Europe, Australia and South Africa. Seeing Machines also has tie-ups with the truck maker Caterpillar and car safety firm Takata... Customers have praised the systems effectiveness, which has led to a minimum 71% reduction in fatigue and distraction related driving events... In the USA, fatigue and distraction are major problems. In 2012, large trucks were involved in traffic accidents that injured 104,000 people, and, according to an organisation called Fleetistics, the average cost of a wrongful death verdict for a trucking company is US$6.7mln...
(Photo: Dutch Bus Drivers To Test Fatigue) -- Canberra, Australia Capital Territory, Australia - Proactive Investors, by Ian Lyall - April 27 2015

Labels: bus safety, drivers' fatigue

2.4.15

SAFER BUSES * India: ABS becomes mandatory from today

* Delhi - Bus to turn safer as ABS helps control vehicles during emergency braking at high speeds

-- With the dawn of financial year 2015-16 India has taken another step towards road safety... Government of India has made it mandatory for all commercial vehicles (bus & trucks) manufactured on April 1, 2015 onward to have anti braking system... ABS helps control vehicles during emergency braking at high speeds by unlocking the wheels and allowing traction control by electronic distribution of pressure to wheels... So far the safety feature was mandatory only for the commercial vehicles carrying petroleum and explosive items. Since 2006, ABS has been obligatory for 40- and 49-tonne tractor-trailers...
(Photo: One of the Bangalore bus services terminal) -- New Delhi, India - The Economic times/Auto - 31 March 2015

Labels: bus safety

3.9.13

* USA - SCHOOL BUSES SAFETY: Armed with cameras

* Arizona - Naugatuck school buses with cameras to catch motorists who do not stop for

Naugatuck,ARZ,USA -My Citizen News, by Luke Marshall -August 31, 2013: -- With the start of school just days away, officials issued a reminder to drivers to be mindful of school buses. Those who aren’t may receive a hefty fine... “This is the right time of year to get awareness out into the community about stopping for school buses when our children are loading and unloading,” Student Guardian President Tom O’Connor said during a press conference at the Naugatuck Police Department... The Arizona-based Student Guardian provided and installed cameras on three of Naugatuck’s school buses in March to catch drivers who pass stopped buses when the buses’ red lights are flashing and the stop sign is extended...

Labels: bus safety

6.7.12

SAFETY on BUSES * UK

* UK - Investigating the effectiveness of bus fire suppression systems

London,EN,UK -Busworld (Belgium) -27 June 2012: -- Transport for London (TfL) has commissioned SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden (SP) to study the effectiveness of bus fire suppression systems. There is currently a lack of information concerning the performance of bus fire suppression systems in real bus fires that have occurred in the TfL fleet. The proposed study will review all recent fire incidents in TfL buses with installed suppression systems. The results of this review will be reported back to TfL to help provide recommendations concerning updated system specification. SP Fire Technology conducts research, testing and certification of products related to fire safety...

Labels: bus safety

9.2.11

SAFETY * Philippines - Bartolome inspects readiness of NCRPO bus marshals

Manila,Philippines -Journal On Line, by Alfred Dalizon -5 February 2011: -- National Capital Region Police Office chief, Director Nicanor A. Bartolome, yesterday said NCRPO ‘bus marshals’ will continue to board buses in Metro Manila to help protect the riding public from criminal attacks and thwart other illegal activities including possible terror plots... More than 300 NCRPO bus marshals have been deployed since the January 25 bombing that killed five people and wounded 13 others, Bartolome said... Apart from the bus marshals, uniformed policemen and members of the Motorized Anti-Street Crime Operatives or motorcycle-mounted police commanders and the NCRPO Tourist Police are helping patrol the streets,” he added...

Labels: bus safety

9.10.10

SAFETY * UK - EYMS cuts fuel by 11% and halves accidents, with training aid

London,UK -Transpot Engineer, by John Challen -6 Oct 2010: -- UK bus operator EYMS has achieved an 11% saving in fuel, year-on-year, since introducing driver training technology from GreenRoad at its Elloughton depot... The technology has also helped to cut own-fault accidents in the first half of 2010 by a staggering 50%, according to Dave Heptinstall, chief engineer at EYMS... GreenRoad 360 provides drivers and fleet managers with real-time feedback and coaching on driving abilities and patterns. The driving behaviour measurement system analyses driving and provides drivers with instant feedback via LEDs that indicate the severity of each manoeuvre... Following the success of its trials, EYMS is now deploying GreenRoad 360 across its entire fleet of 280 buses at nine sites, starting with the company's largest in Hull, which operates 102 buses. In total, it will be used by over 600 drivers... (Picture by lcarmichael from i.thisis.co.uk: An EYMS bus in Woodmansey)

Labels: bus safety

4.1.09

SAFETY * USA - New measures in store for public bus system

Santa Cruz,CAL,USA -The Mercury News, by Shanna McCord -3 Jan 2009: -- Transit leaders are looking to secure more than $400,000 from the state to ensure public buses in Santa Cruz County can efficiently ferry people from a disaster scene and protect riders from harassment when waiting for a ride... The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District has proposed using the money to install or upgrade video surveillance cameras at the main transit centers in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville and upgrade the radio dispatch systems on buses that connect drivers with the operations facility on River Street... About $60 million for transit safety has been earmarked in the state's 2008-09 budget through a grant program established with the passage of Proposition 1B in 2006... (Photo by Jeremiah Ridgeway/Sentinel - The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District has proposed installing or upgrading video surveillance cameras at the main transit centers in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville)

Labels: bus safety

12.8.08

BUS SAFETY * USA - Reform is urged after accidents

New York,NY,USA -The Detroit News/Auto Briefs -12 Aug 2008: -- In the wake of recent bus accidents in Mississippi, Nevada and Texas that killed and injured dozens, industry observers are urging broader safety. "I keep thinking that each one of these accidents is going to be the tipping point to spur progress in Washington," said Jim Hall, a safety analyst and former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board... Hall said the bus industry is in dire need of renewed and stricter safety measures, including seatbelts, stronger roof structures that would prevent collapse and "glazing" designed to prevent passengers from falling out windows in a crash...

Labels: bus safety

15.5.08

SAFETY * UK - Buses have CCTV

A new £1.4 million fleet of buses will be taking people from Keighley to Skipton and Ilkley

Keighley,UK -Keighley News -13 May 2008: --... The buses will carry around 1.2 million passengers a year to destinations including Airedale Hospital... The eight vehicles, made by Volvo, are being operated by Transdev Keighley & District... Transdev boss Dave Alexander said they offered new standards of comfort while meeting strict European standards...

Labels: bus safety

3.5.08

Safety Issue * Australia - 33 buses removed from service over

Brisbane,Australia -ABC On Line -May 1, 2008: -- There is disruption on Brisbane's peak-hour bus services tonight, with the City Council moving to immediately remove another 33 buses from service... The decision comes almost two weeks after a gas explosion at an Upper Mount Gravatt bus depot, when 30 buses were taken off the road as a precaution... Councillor Jane Prentice says a difference in testing between the German-made gas cylinders and those made in Australia is behind the latest move...

Labels: bus safety

17.4.08

SAFETY * USA - Lynx installs tracking devices on buses

Orlando,FL,USA -The Orlando Business Journal -April 14, 2008: -- Lynx equipped all 290 fixed-route buses in the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority system with automatic vehicle locator devices... The installation of the devices Sunday is the first step in establishing a communications network for the agency. The devices will allow supervisors to pinpoint any bus traveling in the system in real time, producing greater efficiency, safety and security, Lynx officials said... Further additions to the new communications network will include "next bus" notification electronic signs at major stops and the ability to offer passengers a real-time look at the location of buses on its Web site...

Labels: bus safety

15.3.08

SAFETY * UK - Bus stop yobs caught on camera

Miniature CCTV cameras are helping to win the battle against vandal attacks on bus shelters

Wigan,England,UK -The Wigan Today -14 March 2008: -- The cameras, mounted in the ceilings of shelters, are helping to catching vandals in the act... Latest figures show that bus shelter vandalism has dropped by almost 10% across the borough compared to 2006... Pictures taken by the cameras have led to increasing incidents of police intervention to catch people smashing shelters... (Picture: CCTV installed in a shelter)

Labels: bus safety

15.1.08

SAFETY * UK - Silly squabble over safety on buses misses the real point

London,England,UK -The Hampstead and Highgate Express -15 January 2008: -- The silly squabble between Transport for London and the London Assembly Transport Committee over whether crime has fallen on our buses seriously misses the point. Londoners do not feel safe on buses in the capital, and we need action now to address the fear of crime. Much was lost when conductors disappeared from our buses. The drivers have enough to do concentrating on driving smoothly and safely. While it would be hugely expensive to bring back uniformed staff on every London bus, it is surely high time we had them on 'bendy buses', on busy routes and on routes in areas where crime levels are known to be high... Working with the Met's Safer Transport Teams, they would bear down on fare evasion and challenge anti-social behaviour. Security guards on trains are already proving popular and the majority of Londoners feel much safer... New technology can ensure that passengers know accurately when their bus will arrive (some systems will give you this on your mobile phone). This would mean less waiting around in vulnerable locations at bus spots. The London Assembly Transport Committee's report has a list of other really practical recommendations, which the Mayor needs to take forward...

Labels: bus safety

6.1.08

SAFETY * USA - Riding in shadow of attacks

After recent violence on MTA buses, some patrons are wary but unwilling to give up their transportation

Baltimore,Maryland,USA -The Baltimore Sun, by Madison Park -December 30, 2007: -- ... For some passengers, the bus is their only way around town... When asked about her thoughts on bus security, Elaine Tomlin shrugged... "I have to use it because I have no other way," said the 50-year-old from West Baltimore. "I got to go where I got to go, so I got to ride the bus"... The buses are busier on weekdays, when there are commuters traveling to and from work and students going to school... Many bus riders blame unsupervised youth for causing trouble on the MTA buses... Others make it a point to avoid the bus at after-school hours when buses are packed with children and teenagers. Clarence Lewis, a 56-year-old passenger on the No. 15 bus, waits about half an hour to an hour after work to avoid riding in a bus full of kids... (Photo by Kim Hairston / Baltimore Sun: Many say they have no option but to ride the bus. "I got to go where I got to go, so I got to ride the bus," said Elaine Tomlin of West Baltimore)

Labels: bus safety

9.11.07

* Canada - Bus safety questioned

Alberta,Canada -The Edmonton Sun, by GLENN KAUTH -November 8, 2007: -- Alberta truck drivers are raising questions about bus safety following Tuesday's horrific Greyhound accident that killed three people... The bus was pulling a small cargo trailer on its way to Grande Prairie, something drivers who regularly travel Alberta's highways say they've long been concerned about... "In the trucking world, we got rid of little trailers like that because they're dangerous," Robin Graham, a trucker from Sundre, told Sun Media... Police are still investigating the cause of the early morning crash east of Grande Prairie but have already said icy roads caused by freezing rain were almost certainly a factor. It may take days, however, for a collision analyst to determine exactly why the bus skidded off the road, said Const. Scott Hagarty of the Grande Prairie RCMP... (Picture from www.citynews.ca)

Labels: bus safety

2.10.07

Bus Safety * Hong Kong/China - Operators agree to enhance it

Hong Kong,China -News.gov.hk -September 25, 2007: -- Franchised bus operators have implemented or have agreed to adopt a number of measures to safeguard bus passengers, Transport Advisory Committee Chairman Teresa Cheng says... They include enhancing the safety of front-row exposed seats in double-deck buses, improving upper-deck windscreens, continuous retrofitting of black boxes on buses and better working hour arrangements for bus drivers... Ms Cheng urged operators to further enhance their operational efficiency, quality and competitiveness to meet future challenges... (Picture from gallery.hd.org: Hong-Kong's Gloucester Road)

Labels: bus safety

7.9.07

Bus Safety * USA - Talk to kids about

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24 million students nationwide start their school day with a trip on the school bus

Plattsburgh,NY,USA -The Plattsburgh Press Republican -6 Sept 2007: -- It's back to school again as summer vacations come to an end. With all of the excitement this time brings, bus safety may not be the first subject that springs to mind. We encourage parents to take time to talk with their children about safety... Although NHTSA reports that riding on a school bus is nearly eight times safer than riding in a passenger vehicle, an average of 11 school-aged pedestrians are killed by school transportation vehicles each year... Here are some tips for school-bus riders that parents should reinforce with their children:

Labels: bus safety